Products

What types of hay do you sell?

What is Timothy Hay?

Timothy hay is a dried version of timothy grass (P. Pratense), which is thought to have originated on the European continent.  Early colonists to the New World brought grass seeds accidentally, inspiring significant wild growth of the grass in the US too.

Many people who raise horses and timothy hay to be ideal as part of animal feed. It may be mixed with other ingredients, especially alfalfa . It is especially noted for a relatively low protein content, low moisture (which can help keep the dried grass from rotting), and high fiber content. Many animal care experts recommend it for its seeming ease on various animals’ digestive systems and its promotion of bowel regularity.

What is Alfalfa?

Alfalfa is widely grown throughout the world as forage for cattle and horses, and is most often harvested as hay. When grown on soils where it is well-adapted, alfalfa is the highest yielding forage plant.

FAQs

How can I be assured of the quality of the hay?

Is your hay stored inside?

What type of bales and sizes do you sell? What are the average bale weights?

I have questions about hay delivery and rates?

What kind of time frame should I expect from the time I order the hay until I receive the hay?

Will Hill Country Hay deliver the hay  personally?

Can I pay for hay with a credit card?

How do I choose the best hay for horses? 

High-quality hay can be an important source of essential nutrients in your horse's diet. A horse's protein and energy requirements depend on age, stage of development, metabolism and workload. A mature horse will eat 2 to 2.5% of its body weight a day, and for optimum health, nutritionists recommend that at least half of this should be roughage such as hay. For a 1000-pound horse, that means at least 10 pounds of roughage each day.

Hay generally falls into one of two categories -- grasses or legumes. Legume hay is higher in protein, energy, calcium and vitamin A than grass hays. While hay alone may not meet the total dietary requirements of young, growing horses or those used for high levels of performance, high-quality hay may supply ample nutrition for less active adult horses.

Once you've determined the best category of hay for your horse, most people select hay based on how it looks, smells and feels. Use the following tips from the American Association of Equine Practitioners to select the best hay for your horse:

1. It's what's inside that counts. Ask that one or several bales are opened so you can evaluate the hay inside the bales. Do not worry about slight discoloration on the outside, especially in stacked hay.
2. Choose hay that is as fine-stemmed, green and leafy as possible, and is soft to the touch.
3. Avoid hay that is over-cured, excessively sun-bleached, or smells moldy, musty, dusty or fermented.
4. Select hay that has been harvested when the plants are in early bloom for legume hay or before seed heads have formed in grasses. Examine the leaves, stems and flowers or seed pods to determine the level of maturity.
5. Avoid hay that contains significant amounts of weeds, dirt, trash or debris.
6. Examine hay for signs of insect infestation or disease. Be especially careful to check for blister beetles in alfalfa. Ask the grower about any potential problems in the region.
7. Reject bales that seem excessively heavy for their size of feel warm to the touch, as they could contain excess moisture that could cause mold, or worse, spontaneous combustion.
8. When possible, purchase and feed hay within a year of harvest to preserve its nutritional value.
9. Store hay in a dry, sheltered area out of the rain, snow and sun, or cover in the stack to protect it from the elements.
10. When buying in quantity, have the hay analyzed by a certified forage laboratory to determine its actual nutrient content.